Good morning delicious French Toast! Rowan even got out of bed for this. Yummy! Seriously decadent. I planned for this yesterday when I bought that nice big loaf of French bread at the market.

And since there were blueberries at the market yesterday too....well....

Ooops. That is not quite how it is supposed to look. I obviously didn't grease the pan enough (hey, I never said I was perfect!) and the top stuck to the bundt pan. Oh well, I just flipped it over and improvised. Luckily, this wasn't planned for a party or something.

I doubt Dad and my coworkers will mind, since it looks like this on the inside...delish!

But the pleasure does not stop there. I also finished my Cotty socks. I heart this colorway!

Its been exciting to see people knitting my sock pattern! And I absolutely love how it works with STR! And so, to keep the happy going, let's have a contest! I'll be giving away some Socks that Rock this week! Simple contest.....let me know what is bringing you joy lately or what you are finding pleasure with! Leave me a comment by midnight, this Thursday night, and I'll pick a winner on Friday!

ETA: Contest closed as of midnight PST. Winner will be announced tomorrow here on the blog!

Joy these days come in the form of hugging the kids, esp with the thought that in a month's time there will be a distance of over 3000 miles separating me from them for the first time since they were born.

For me, joy has been relaxing, especially with my knitting. I've been finding that it really helps me relax, and thanks to my years playing stringed instruments, the muscles in my hands are up for the long hours of work.

I've also been finding joy in watching the flowers on my balcony grow, along with hummingbirds discovering our feeder.

I also have been baking lately and also have returned to visiting the various farmer's markets. We are lucky enough to have several fairly close by and even on weekdays, to fill in with the fruit and veggie needs.My joy today is gardening for the birds and having several boxes of newly hatched babies to monitor. The parent birds are very conscientious! I also have witnessed 5 different hummingbird types in one day! That was a joyful first for me.

Joy? Well good food and wine (always), but mostly my kids - and even better - my kids wearing things I have knitted for them. And the crisp late autumn weather down here in Tasmania. And because of that crisp autumn weather - my hand made socks bring me the greatest joy of all on a chilly morning (esp. STR mediumweight inside my boots!)

Sweater knitting and buttons bring me joy right now. Even though it's a HUNDRED MILLION DEGREES outside lately. I can't stop knitting sweaters... and I just bought buttons for three sweaters that need them. rock on! :)

also, the fact that next weekend is a 3-day weekend brings me joy. :D

the socks are lovely. if i can stop knitting sweaters, I might finish mine. lol

The baked goods look so yummy! And the Cotty socks are lovely; I love how the yarn worked up.

As for what's bringing me joy ... I'm working my first lace project - Ishbel - in STR lightweight (Mustang Sally). I'm loving it. I go sit in a room by myself (apart from my chatty boyfriend) to concentrate on the chart, since it's my first chart. And I am SO joyful when I get to the end of the row and haven't made a mistake!

Joy, lately, is in the little things. My husband bringing me my medicine when I'm too weak to get it. The sun peaking through the clouds when it has stopped raining. My bulbs popping up through the mulch. Friends who care enough to tell you. The quiet luxury of stockinette going around.

Great question Carrie! Lately I just try to find joy in the simple things of life and remember what truly matters at the end of the day. A genuine smile on each of my kids faces, a dinner shared together as a family, things I planted that survived the winter and are beginning to bloom. These are just a few of the many things that bring me joy.

I am finding joy in cuddling and smelling my new puppy. We recently lost a dog -and having a dog back in the house has brought immesurable amounts of joy to our home. It is a LOT of work - but he is so cuddly and cute!

Wow, people really come out of the woodwork for the chance of free STR, don't they? :) That bundt cake looks fabulous. I want some. But no good bakeries within walking distance of my office. Sad.

Okay, things that bring me joy. Recently, my beautifully worked garden soil. I just added 120 lbs of cow shit last weekend, and also working in some sand. It's so lovely now--crumbly and black and squishy. I didn't take pics for the blog because I knew you guys would think me nutso. But it's lovely all the same. Can't wait to plant!

Joy is having the time to spend in my garden - the daffodils and tulips are up, the periwinkle is blooming, and the cherry and apple trees will be covered in flowers in a week or so. Can you tell I live in Canada?? LOLKathy

So far this week I found joy in finally getting to knit yesterday afternoon while hearing the YarnHarlot speak. She just made us laugh out loud......knowing the stories she was telling applied to us as much as her.

Yum! For part of my joy+ride I'm reading A Homemade Life! I'm loving it. And now you're inspiring me with the french toast!! I need to hurry and get to that part so I can make it...I'm not very far into the book!

I get pleasure out of looking at my bookcase stocked with books, yarn, fabric and patterns. But I get the greatest joy out of my two girls. Baby who is just starting to coo at you when you talk to her. And big Sis who as much as she drives me nuts still makes me smile.

The number one thing that brings me joy is my dog, Belle. She is always happy to see me when I come home and greets me with fully-body wags. She likes to sit on my lap, even though only part of her fits. She just makes me happy!

yum on the baked goods! I had the urge to make bread yesterday morning....was delicious! and a blackberry crumble with last falls berries. Nice colorway as well!

Joy? For me at the moment it would be that things are calming down with a slightly broken gram, the sun has been out and it feels like summer with lilacs etc, and last friday i semi retired! (so i will now be broke but with time for family and the home)

Your socks and food photos are beautiful! Besides those, what's bringing me pleasure lately is photographing my finished Shur'tugal socks, and posting the photos in the Ravelry Socks That Rock Group KAL. Also I'm having fun trying to guess the colorways for some mill ends shown in the Ravelry STR Group "Flash Your Stash" topic. I'd mention knitting wips, but I'm tied up with writing for $$ right now!

Joy is what I experienced this weekend when I discovered that I can hangout with my friends in a bar, not drink, and still enjoy their company. Even if I had to lie and say my ice water was vodka on the rocks, it was an absolute pleasure to discover that my friends are still lovely and bright and funny, if a wee bit sillier, when they're drunk, and I'm sober. Now if I only I hadn't had to yell over the jukebox and could convince them all that a dinner party would be that much more civilized!

The joy I am feeling right now is from the fact that I only have one more actual final this week and soon I will be doing lots of camping. I also met my master teacher today (I am student teaching next fall.)and she seems really great.

Joy! God, my family, and slowly completely all my past due assignments for grad school are the things that are giving me joy right now! I'm looking forward to some solid knitting time in the next week.

Hmmm....hanging out with my teenagers (Yes, really!) Working on a quilt. Starting a couple of new projects to take on vacation. Drinking a fresh cup of coffee from my Kuerig coffee maker. Looking at the flowering crab trees in my yard. Late night quiet.

My joy for this week is that having recently lost a relative to pancreatic cancer, a friend to a heart attack, several years after surviving, (against great odds)...lymphoma....I am rejoicing in the fact that I am here....and I am healthy....and all the little aches and pains from too much yard work or too much knitting are a good thing...and I am blessed!!

Lately I'm finding joy in my son -- a big 6 year-old now. Watching him play baseball, growling at the ball as he hits it, sliding into home plate, and getting so surprised when he actually catches the ball in the field that he forgets where he's supposed to throw it, makes me smile everytime I think of it!

My joy lately has been when one of the girls comes up randomly through the day just to say, "I love you mommy" - precious. I also find joy in my upcoming 10th anniversary with my hubby this year. Third, my knitting always gives me joy!

Watching a pair of beautiful bluebirds defend the house we put up for them and constantly pop in and out to feed their rapidly growing babies has been quite a joy for me this spring. They weren't so lucky with their babies last year, so we're feeding them and cheering them on this year. They know my voice and come to the feeder as soon as I turn my back now!

OMG. That French Toast looks AMAZING. Normally, I'm not much of a sugar girl- except when it comes to breakfast foods!

Air conditioning is bringing me great pleasure this week! ;) But on a more serious note, I'm finding great joy lately in re-connecting with old friends. Sadly, I lost touch with almost everyone from high school and college over the years, and it's been so wonderful re-connecting with them over the past few months! You can bet that this time, we'll stay in touch!

Joy is having finished a "big" knitting project that has stolen all of my time for nearly two months! It turned out well, which is nice, too. Mostly, joy is in the simple things: a hot cuppa tea, a movie with the family, or a drive through beautiful countryside. All of which have occured recently.

Joy for me lately is the early morning sunshine on the newly blooming leaves. the greenish glow brings such promise. the kids are much better with the change in weather and their outdoor activities keep the fam busy in a happy way.oh and did i mention the joy of dd first soccer goal? she was so proud and deservedly so!thks for spreading joy carrie!

I'm so lucky - my days are filled with joy! I help make my patients happy all day long, then race home in my superfun car. I spend the evening with my cats loving up against me (the Maine Coon has the *fluffiest belly*) and my wonderful, sweet, brilliant husband snuggling and giggling on the couch. It just doesn't get much better, I tell ya.

I'm going to say my latest joy is that I've been knitting lace successfully. It makes me happy to know that I can do something I tried as a beginner knitter and had so much trouble with, and now it's not as hard.

I had a moment of pure joy last night. I was having dinner with my family last night out on the porch and my youngest (9 y.o.) was just making a mess and enjoying herself and laughing. It was wonderful. I normally try to get after her and make her be neat - teaching and training right? Well we all just let go and had fun and laughed with her. It was wonderful and I'm smiling now thinking of it again. That child brings me joy.

My joy this week is in the wonderful weather we are having, watching my children jump on our new trampoline, seeing the lovely flowers in our garden and being able to have supper as a family 3 nights this week!

This week, joy = nice weather so I can weed and plant annuals, = bad weather so I can knit and finish some socks. PLUS no issues at work that I have to wake up in the wee hours to provide support. That's all I hope for this week... AND also if I win some STR!

Joy for me right now is - my DH being done for the year (he teaches) and having him all to myself, the budding friendship between our newest cat rescue and my little dog, and sunny mornings with coffee on the deck

Joy? Well I recently (earlier this month) bought and moved into my first house... So lately my joy has been being able to pick the paint colors I want, plant whatever I want in the backyard, putting in the hardwood floors that I want, and be as loud as I want since I don't have an apartment neighbor. And at the end of the day, I get to sit on MY couch, in MY house relaxing and knitting whatever I feel like...cause its allll mine :D

I'm finding joy in the arrival of summer in Michigan. Everything is fresh and green, and I'm especially loving the return of sandals and going barefoot! Not that it's stopping me from knitting wool socks though.....

would you believe that thunderstorms are brining me joy? Thunderstorm season has started here in Thunder Bay and I love sitting in my comfy chair knitting while the thunder crashes and the lightning flashes. It just feels so good. We had a great storm last night!

Joy for me includes having an afternoon chat with my pre-teen daughter and listening to her laugh about something silly that happened during her day. There is something about laughter, especially a child's, that makes me happy.

I totally LOVE your Cotty socks - am going to have to get the same yarn for them also. :)

Joy right now - I was laid off over a year ago, and an thrilled to say that I've finally found a new job!! Sure, it's part time, and much less than I used to make, but it's something, and just that one little stride has made me incredibly happy.

I also have to agree with the previous comment about kids getting out of school soon - I'll be quite full of JOY in 14 days when I don't have to get two crazy little boys up and out 5 days a week. =)

What brings me joy is puppy play time. At least four or so times a week, we pack my dog in the car and drive the five minutes to her best friend's house. Her best friend is a puppy, and just wild! My girl gets to play with the puppy and puppy friends, and it's so much fun to watch!

I am always finding joy from my gorgeous daughters who are 4 1/2 & love their Mama! (at least for right now!) For the last few days joy comes from the glorious weather here in NY, finally!Now I have to make some french toast this weekend!

I find joy in the small things that take me outside the normal grind, even if only for a moment. It's five minutes of snuggling on the couch with the kids while having coffee. It's scrapping the daily to do list to have a knitting marathon,trip to the library, or Wii MarioKart marathon with the kids. It's stepping out for a walk because the weather is so great. It's the idea you could have a gin and tonic in one hand while you do your vacuuming. At the very end of the day it's reading silly poetry by Shel Silverstein and hearing "I love you, Mommy".

Lots of things bring me joy, but it's mainly the small ones that make me the most happy.

Recently, I've been finding joy in my new knitted sweaters that I completed. One of the FOs was a pattern that I could not conquer last year. But now I'm so proud that I'm ready to look forward to more challenging sweaters. :-)

Mine is pretty simple. My daughter is a struggling little thing - different from her peers - that's the hard part. The part that brings me joy is seeing how happy she is anyway. Oblivious to her differences . . . or maybe it's not obliviousness, but rather, she's joyful just being six.

I have found joy in cooking nice meals everynight for my family. I am a Stay at home mom and can get bogged down with chores and errands, but it is relaxing to cook a nice meal and enjoy my end result.

I've been indulging in a Starbucks Decaf Cinammon Dolce Latte lately, and bringing it home to sip while I have my cat next to me. It really doesn't get better than that...unless I'm wearing new knitted socks while I'm sipping! :)

OMG...that pic of the French Toast looks amazing. Makes me feel like running into my kitchen and cooking up a batch. Never had French Toast for lunch...but there is always a first time. rofl

With the weather here in the Pacific Northwest getting warmer I have been having wonderful hours spent gardening. Everything is coming up so beautifully. My son got the gardening bug this year and has five avocado trees growing from the seeds he saved from my last guacamole batch. They are already about 8 inches tall and seem to grow more each day.

thanks for not asking asking me to go else where and look at things I can't afford and tell about it here!What is making me happy is my husband is turning 50 next week and I scrapped together enough money to get him a PSP3, and three games! He's wanted this system for ever and knows we just can't afford it.I can't wait.

These would work great as "sleep socks" as mine have holes in their heels!! I am joyful today because my daughter's softball team won, with my daughter contributing one run and a play in left feild!!Cassiecjm92995@yahoo.com

With four kids, I have always had a hard time finding time to knit (good therapy and cheaper too!). I now have a solution...I have strategically located a number of WIP...by the bed, in the car, by the tv, in my purse, so whenever I have a spare minute, I chill with the needles. Pure joy.